422  Cultivation  of  Medicinal  Plants.       {^timber*  it™' 
Factors  in  Drug  Plant  Production. 
The  following  note  by  W.  W.  Stockberger  summarizes  the  situa- 
tion from  the  agricultural  point  of  view,  and  incidentally  throws  an 
important  light  upon  the  whole  problem : 
The  first  essential  for  successful  drug  plant  production  on  a 
commercial  scale  is  the  existence  of  a  market  for  the  product.  For 
some  crude  drugs  the  demand  is  constant  and  steady,  while  for 
many  others  it  is  variable,  or  exceedingly  limited.  In  the  case  of 
drugs  for  which  there  is  a  limited  demand,  numerous  or  extensive 
plantings  may  easily  result  in  overproduction,  with  a  consequent  de- 
cline in  the  market  price.  The  prospective  grower  of  drugs  would 
do  well  to  acquaint  himself  with  the  market,  and  to  make  sure  that 
the  cost  of  production,  plus  packing  and  shipping  expenses,  do  not 
make  the  total  cost  so  great  that  the  drugs  cannot  be  grown  at  a  profit. 
It  is  also  essential  to  know  that  the  species  selected  for  cultivation 
will  do  well  under  the  conditions  of  soil  and  climate  existing  where 
the  planting  is  to  be  made.  Drug  plants  vary  widely  in  their  require- 
ments with  respect  to  these  conditions,  and  satisfactory  yields  can 
be  expected  only  when  the  requirements  of  these  plants  are  under- 
stood and  properly  met. 
The  economic  situation  is  another  weighty  factor.  Assuming  that 
the  soil  and  climate  are  suitable,  it  does  not  follow  that  drugs  can  be 
grown  at  a  profit.  They  must  yield  returns  equal  to,  or  greater,  than 
those  from  other  crops  which  may  be  grown  on  the  same  land.  Since 
much  handwork  is  necessary  in  the  production  of  most  drugs,  a  suffi- 
cient labor  supply  must  be  readily  available.  The  price  of  land,  the 
cost  of  labor  and  the  distance  from  market,  are  additional  items  to 
be  fully  considered  before  attempting  to  grow  drugs  commercially. 
The  prospective  grower  of  drugs  who  has  not  had  some  practical 
experience  in  gardening,  and  who  lacks  a  knowledge  of  the  require- 
ments of  crude  drugs,  should  proceed  cautiously.  Although  some 
medicinal  plants  may  be  grown  as  easily  as  ordinary  garden  crops, 
others  require  the  special  knowledge  and  skill  of  the  practiced  gar- 
dener, if  good  results  are  to  be  secured.  The  valuable  constituents 
of  many  drug  plants  vary  in  quantity,  according  to  the  time  of  gather- 
ing and  method  of  drying;  hence  a  knowledge  of  the  right  time  for 
harvesting  and  the  proper  methods  of  curing  is  necessary  for  the 
production  of  drugs  of  high  quality. 
